Rogers’ big night leads Modesto High boys volleyball team to five-set win over Pitman
Cole Rogers has torn through the Central California Athletic League for the Modesto boys volleyball team but last year, he could not play at all.
In early 2022, he found out he was a Type 1 Diabetic and had to spend time in the hospital. He had to build back all of his strength but though things were changing around him, he looked forward to getting back on the court.
“I would say volleyball helped me mentally overcome it because I was able to go right back after a few weeks,” Rogers said. “I had to build back up my body for it because I was like skin and bones when I got out of the hospital. … The rough part was having lost all of my physical strength.”
A little more than a year later, the senior has worked his way back into being one of the best boys volleyball players in the area. He is third in the Sac-Joaquin Section in kills (343), 11th in aces (60) and 17th in total blocks (64).
“I’m not gonna let it stop me.” he said.
Rogers, who plays with insulin pumps on each of his inner biceps, was nearly unstoppable in the Panthers’ final regular-season match against Pitman, finishing with 40 kills and a .413 hitting percentage in a five-set thriller to create a three-way tie near the top of the Central California Athletic League standings.
After falling to the Pride 3-1 in their first matchup, Modesto took the second, fourth and match-clinching fifth sets in winning 21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11.
With the match tied at 2-2, the Panthers jumped out to a quick 11-3 lead, but the Pride responded with six unanswered points.
The Panthers held off the Pride’s comeback, finishing the match with the 15-11 win.
It has been a year of learning for the Modesto boys volleyball team in its first season. Rogers is the only player on the roster with volleyball experience but he has enjoyed helping his teammates learn the sport he loves. After leaving the area for club tournaments, he welcomed having boys volleyball in Modesto. The Panthers have a 12-player varsity team and 10 players on their junior varsity roster.
“It’s nice for there to be stuff around here now,” said Rogers, who also had 14 digs and six blocks against the Pride. “Especially the amount of boys that were interested, I was very surprised. I was not expecting there to even be junior varsity teams. I thought it was gonna be one team a school.”
Rogers has been an extension of the Panthers coaching staff on the court. Head coach Traci Mulder returned to the sidelines after stepping away from coaching high school volleyball at the end of the 2021 girls season. This time, she was teaching the game from square one.
“I had to bring the whiteboard out,” Mulder said. “Just taking it back to the basics, but then as they got the hang of the game, we could develop and start to get better quicker.
“(Rogers) is patient, and he is super coachable and humble.”
Just by watching him, it is obvious Rogers is one of the most competitive players on the court. He also recognizes when the team needs his leadership in the form of high fives, diving for a free ball or a lighthearted joke.
“It feels great being someone that the boys were able to look up to,” Rogers said. “I was able to have a lot of fun with them, joke around with him a little bit. It was so fun.
“I don’t want to make them feel like they have to be perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. We’re only human.”
Just as he did all season, Rogers came through for the Panthers when they needed him most, spearheading the run early in the final set and ultimately closing out the match.
“I think that Cole is a kid that could be a Division I athlete,” Mulder said. “He’s so strong, and … if you give him time, it’s just phenomenal. I would have loved to have another year with him.”
Though they won the final match of the season, the Panthers will not advance to the 2023 section playoffs. The win put them in a three-way tie with Pitman and Downey for the final two playoff spots behind unbeaten league champion Enochs (20-9, 10-0 CCAL). The Panthers finished their first season 12-14 overall and 6-4 in CCAL play.
“Playoffs or not, this was a fun season,” Rogers said. “I had a great time for this being the first season for all the high schools around here. … It was a great season. I had a lot of fun with these boys and the coaches did a great job.”
This story was originally published April 28, 2023 at 12:44 PM.
